Bathing your step children
by StupidBolts
Summary: Starscream helps Soundwave give the cassettes a bath... cuteness on all side. Oneshot.


Skywarp bounced up and down while reading the data pad in his hands. Thundercracker watched in mild amusement at his brother's constant hopping.

"You'll puke if you keep that up." He snorted, leaning back in his chair. Skywarp responded by quickly sticking his glossa out, then went back to his random bouncing. Thundercracker shook his head and smiled. "Have it your way, yah spoilt brat." He sighed.

Their calm moment was disturbed by a sudden and familiar shriek of annoyance. They both looked through the door way leading to the corridor just in time to see Starscream streaking by, chasing an armour-less Rumble.

"Rumble! Get back here you little brat!" The red and blue seeker screeched as the two dashed down the hall. Skywarp stopped his jumping to stare at where his older brother had been just a second ago.

"Err... TC?" He squeaked. Thundercracker had since covered his face with a large servo.

"No. I don't even want to know." He replied gruffly.

XxX

"But I _hate_ decontamination baths Soundwave!" Frenzy whined as his creator grabbed him by the waist and hauled him back beside him.

"Statement: Already known." Soundwave replied patiently as he continued filling the tub. Ravage and Buzzsaw sat in a make-shift cage in the corner of the room; the feline whimpering and pawing at the bars and the buzzard pecking at the roof.

::_Soundwave! Mercy! I beg of you!_:: Ravage squealed as a splash of water dropped onto his muzzle.

"You make it sound like I am about to send you to Vortex's torture chamber." The communications officer grunted in response.

::_It's my equivalent, yes!_:: Ravage whimpered. Suddenly, the door whooshed open and Starscream stomped in holding Laserbeak's ankles in one hand and Rumble's wrist in the other. The seeker himself looked incredibly peeved.

Soundwave blinked. "Inquiry – Rumble: Ran through entire base naked?"

"_Yes_," Starscream hissed as he dumped both the screaming blue sparkling and the squawking vulture into the half full tub. "And _everyone_ saw him! The shameless little monster!" He snarled.

"Apologies. He is young." Soundwave offered weakly.

"And immature!" Starscream turned to a wriggling Frenzy beside Soundwave. The SIC sighed and grabbed the youngest cassette by his ankles and lifted him upside down. Frenzy suddenly let a bubble of laughter escape him and Starscream swung him back and forth. "A 1..." The first swing high in the air. "A 2..." Second, only higher and making Frenzy squeal more. "And in he goes." He slid Frenzy head first into the tub and watched him roll around until he reached the surface, still laughing wildly.

"Meanie!" The black and red cassette giggled. Starscream smirked and stuck his glossa out. Frenzy mimicked him and put extra emphasis on the gesture with an "Mmh!" sound.

Soundwave walked towards the cage in the corner where Buzzsaw and Ravage had been willing Primus to let them be forgotten about. But Primus was not on their side and Soundwave grabbed the both of them before they could escape; Ravage by the scruff of his neck and Buzzsaw by the metal tail feathers.

"Going somewhere boys?" Starscream smirked, beginning to pour in the bubble bath that the twins loved so much.

::_If possible..._:: Buzzsaw whined as Soundwave dropped them into the full tub and turned off the taps.

"Response: I think not." Their creator chided, then used one hand to stop Ravage from bolting out of the tub. Starscream snickered as he began lathering up Rumble, who'd been given his favourite rubber duck to stop his screaming and flailing.

"Oh rubber ducky you're the one~

You make bath time lots of fun~" The eldest, yet dimmest, of the twins sang cheerily. He squeezed the duck to make it squeak, then placed it's beak against Frenzy's nose and made a kissing noise. His little brother squealed and giggled wildly again, making Rumble smile even as the shower head was raised over his head to rinse him off.

Starscream looked sympathetically at Soundwave who was having to half get into the actual tub just so he could wash Ravage.

"Ravage: Desist! Filth must be eliminated!" The monotone voice shouted without raising his voice.

::_No! Nah! Water bad! Water bad!_:: Ravage howled as he scrambled at the edge of the tub, all his limbs flailing in different directions. He finally stopped when he heard a yelp behind him, and he and Soundwave looked to see Frenzy tearing up and holding his cheek painfully.

"Y-you kicked me!" He sniffed with a hurt tone.

::_I'm sorry!I'm sorry!I'm sorry!_:: Ravage suddenly pulled away from Soundwave and was nuzzling Frenzy's un-dented cheek and licking him, but Frenzy still burst into a fit of tears. Starscream quickly gathered Frenzy into his arms, pulled him out of the tub, and cuddled him quietly against his chest.

"_Hush,_ come on Frenzy, it wasn't that bad." He cooed, cradling the cassette back and forth.

"It _hurt_ Starscream! It really, really hurt!" Frenzy sobbed. Ravage cringed and lowered himself into the water, but Soundwave reached forward and grabbed his triangular ear, something he'd done back when Ravage was a disobedient kitten. The boom box dragged the panther to his end of the tub and viciously scrubbed at the yowling feline.

"Now see what your whinging did you bratty cat!" He uncharacteristically snarled.

::_I'm sooooorry!_:: Ravage keened in agony as the frantic washing got rougher. Frenzy still sat in Starscream's arms sniffing, just hovering over the seeker's lap. Then, a squeaking caught his attention. Starscream smiled. Rumble held his rubber duck over the edge of the bath and had it 'kiss' Frenzy's cheek better.

"Shush! No more crying!" Rumble demanded, handing his brother the duck.

"'Kay..." Frenzy sniffled as Starscream placed him back in the bath.

XxX

"Thank Primus that's over."

"Agreed... until next week."

"You're spoiling the moment." Soundwave smiled behind his mask as Starscream shuffled closer to him. They both sat on the larger blue mech's berth; Rumble, Frenzy and Ravage curled up together against Starscream and the two buzzards resting on Soundwave's shoulder and lap. Soundwave had one arm slung around Starscream's shoulders, both sitting in darkness as the cassettes recharged.

"You going to go find Ratbat later?" Starscream inquired. Somehow, the flying rodent managed to avoid capture for bath time. Soundwave's brow furrowed and nodded slightly.

"Statement: Gauntlet shall fall later." He sighed and leant his head back. Starscream giggled and petted Ravage half consciously. "Gratitude for helping bathe cassettes; granted." Soundwave yawned.

"I want them to get used to me..." The seeker replied, Soundwave gave his bondmate a one armed squeeze in understanding.

"You will make a good step-mother."

"Hope so... for their sake, or I might stop them from going to the ball or something..." Starscream grunted, snuggling closer. Soundwave chuckled and went quiet as he was left as the only awake one in the room.

**So, bit of cuteness from all sides for an awesome pairing that needs more love! That, and I wanted to do a scene with Rumble singing.**


End file.
